Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31313 (Hints)
The Saturday Crossword Club
(hosted by crypticsue)
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Good morning from another warm and sunny morning here in the East Kent dustbowl where we have only had half a dozen drops of rain since early June. The usually productive veg patch is a barren wasteland and the village buzzards are already circling and complaining to each other about how the weather is affecting their ability to hunt (or perhaps they are just having a chat)
Another enjoyable SPP where I expect commenters will enjoy playing Guess the Setter with a couple of ‘I didn’t know x meant y (while, of course, obeying the red instructions at the bottom of the hints)
Please ask for help if you are stuck on clues I haven’t hinted, but before doing so, please read the comments that appear before yours, so that you are not duplicating questions, and make sure you obey both THE INSTRUCTIONS IN RED at the end of the Hints and the blog’s Comment Etiquette – Big Dave’s Crossword Blog)
Most of the terms used in these hints are explained in the Glossary and examples are available by clicking on the entry under “See also”. Where the hint describes a construct as “usual” this means that more help can be found in The Usual Suspects, which gives a number of the elements commonly used in the wordplay. Another useful page is Wolves in Sheep’s Clothing, which features words with meanings that are not always immediately obvious.
A full review of this puzzle will be published after the closing date for submissions.
Across
1a Greater than zero? Not in doubt (8)
Looking in the BRB, you wouldn’t believe how many definitions there are for one adjective, the clue just giving us two of them
9a Last word by competent subject (8)
The last word, especially at the end of a prayer and a synonym for competent. The definition meanings liable or subject
12a/21a Surprise – ready to keep ace and not lead (4,1,4,4)
A two-word phrase meaning surprise and a synonym for ready into which is inserted (to keep) the abbreviation for Ace
24a Wanderer compos mentis in “Glesga”? (5)
How someone from Glasgow might say they were sane (compos mentis)
25a Seducer left island: knight embraced by Edward VII (9)
The abbreviations for Left and Island and the chess abbreviation for knight inserted into (embraced by) the nickname of Edward VII
29d Drive in the same place taking look around (6)
A poetical word meaning look into which is inserted the Latin word meaning in the same place
30a Attractive quality is in entrance area (8)
IS (from the clue) inserted in a verb meaning to entrance, followed by the abbreviation for Area
Down
1d Spies student donning underwear (6)
The usual abbreviated student inserted into (donning) an informal name for some underwear
3d I’m going to keep one ornamental coronet (5)
An informal goodbye (I’m going) keeps the Roman numeral for one
7d One dining on his own? (8)
A cryptic definition of an eater of its own species
17d Spooner’s discovered everything in ruin (8)
How Reverend Spooner might say he’d discovered everything
18d Part of an Arsenal crowd turning up in a resting place (4,4)
A reversed (turning up) disorderly crowd inserted between A and a resting place
22d Student body keeps a little storage in cloud (6)
An abbreviated union of students ‘keeps’ a little computer storage
26d Cyclist free here in the middle (5)
A verb meaning to free and the middle of hERe
As this is a Prize crossword, please don’t put any ANSWERS, whether WHOLE, PARTIAL or INCORRECT, or any ALTERNATIVE CLUES in your comment. If in doubt, leave it out
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The Quick Crossword pun: GIN + JAR + WHINE = GINGER WINE
Just the right level for a Saturday prize puzzle, I thought but haven’t we had enough of the reverend Spooner recently? An enjoyable solve but not that easy with plenty of head scratching needed. Fortunately, I solved the linked clue early on and that opened things up. We’ve had the little piggy covering before but I had forgotten it. Remembering how to spell 2d was a challenge and I very nearly had the wrong last letter. I liked the cloud storage at 22d but my COTD is the wanderer at 24a. Quite brilliant.
Thank you, setter (NYDK?) for a great Saturday challenge. Thank you, CeeSoo for the hints.
I’ve found during my return this year, and seeing the comments of others, that I realllly like Spooners … 😳🤷🏽♂️
Thanks Steve, I’ve just checked the last letter of 2d and indeed it was wrong! I thought it probably was but couldn’t think of an alternative – quite sneaky.
Thank you I just changed my last letter in 2 down.
Enjoyed the puzzle. Thanks to all
I’m worried I have the wrong last letter now, as I can only think of one option
Fairly chewy for a Saturday, but once I got going it was a steady solve. I took a flyer on the meaning of Glesga and when the penny dropped could relate to several past acquaintances of a northern disposition. My only outstanding question mark concerns ‘a little storage’ within the student body at 22d. Ticks a plenty with the spoonerism 17d, the piggy cover 16a and the seducer at 25a being my pick for the podium.
Many thanks to the setter, I won’t hazard a guess, and crypticsue
2*/4*
I have now twigged the little storage, duh.
On a train to, er, sunny Dartford (accurate today). This lovely crossword kept me company – though not for long, it was a satisfying saunter today; It’s been a good week on the solving front.
Pody picks – 7D’s, er, foodie; 18D’s Arsenal matter (timely as I’m watching a Tom Hanks-led doco series currently), and 17D’s Spooner, also apt given I’ve found all my Pody winners to be downers…
Thanks to setter and to CS ⭐️
I really enjoyed 7 down
Once a foothold had been established all went together nicely. I ended up with many ticks on my page including 1d, 29 and 30a. My podium comprises the wanderer in 24a, the spoonerism in 17d and the sailor in 21d. Thanks to compiler and CS.
2*/4*. This was just right for a SPP. I groaned at 24a but I did rather like it.
My favourite was 7d.
Many thanks to the setter and to CS.
A nice challenging puzzle from NYPD Blue with his humour very much on display.
”I’m going” in 3d is brilliant. One of the best for a while. I can imagine our Cilla saying it. 24a also made me chuckle.
I knew George VI’s nickname but didn’t know Edward VII was called it too. I’ve always like the much debated origin of 13a’s etymology.
My picks are 24a, 6d and the most excellent 7d.
MTTTA and she of the Kent crypt.
3*/4*
Tremendous puzzle today. The entire RHS went in before I had anything on the left. Lot of great clues – we seem to have 13a fairly regularly. Favourites out of a long bunch include 7d, 16a (although a Christmassy one came to mind), and 25a. I actually don’t get the Glesga bit of 24a but will have a google and see if I can find it. Thanks to the setter and to CS.
1* / 4* A most enjoyable and not too taxing for a Saturday puzzle with plenty of titters along the way.
Top three for me today are the linked clues at 12a + 21a, push out at19a (nice word) and the wicked 4d
Thanks to compiler and Sue
Unintentional reply to Mandela !
I am not the great man, but if you ever get the chance to go to a lecture by his bodyguard, go! Absolutely wonderful, moving, enlightening and humerous
For me, and I stressThank goodness Sue wasn’t away on her Secret Service duties today as I needed her advice for 24a, which then triggered 17d and everything fell into place. I was interrupted by Robert The Postman with yet another of H’s postal packages. This household keeps the Royal Mail and Amazon in business. Recently H has discovered Temu and that adds even further to the truckload of deliveries.
The Youngster and her squad are going to Crystal Palace Bowl for a mini festival today and tomorrow. I understand they’ve moved the stage round so that attendees can no longer dive in the murky lake, as many did in my day. They all emerged covered in rotting vegetation and regrets.
Thanks to the venerable setter and PC Security (anag)
Lots of twists and turns. Wiggled my way through. Last one in and favourite was 7down. I only tell John if they are funny and clever and he agreed. It was a close run thing with the wanderer . I learned what Glesa stood for. It took a while for the Edward VII connection to drop. What a great weekend start.
Thank you CS and our setter
Excellent fun for a sunny Shropshire Saturday with several clues vying for top spot. I had to resort to a tie, with 25a and 7d my co-favourites.
My thanks to Donny, if it is indeed he, and Sue.
Completed before and after a choir practice. Loved 24a. Thanks to setter and cSue.
An enjoyable puzzle completed before a trip to the supermarket. Luckily we can walk into town and don’t have to play hunt the free car parking space. The car parks all used to be free but this year the council decided to charge for some of them so mayhem ensues.
Back to the puzzle, top picks for me were 7d, 3d, 30a and 5a.
Thanks to CrypticSue and the setter.
A very enjoyable solve with a couple which I needed to check and fortunately Sue used her psychic powers and confirmed both for me. No mythical for me as I have realised I have a spelling error….should have read Steve’s comment earlier! 7d was my favourite.
Many thanks to the setter and to CS for the hints.
Quite tricky but only one pesky linked word clue, which was a blessing. The double definition clue at 1a was clever and the cryptic definirion clue at 7d was hilarious. Rhe lego clue rest rime at 21d was rather good and for awonder, I got the football related clue quite quickly So quite enjoyable.Thanks to the compiler and to CS for the hints .
I agree with Steve C on this offering being ‘just the right level for a SPP’ and thinking that we have ‘had enough of the reverend Spooner recently’ – **/****
Candidates for favourite – 10a, 24a, 30a, and 6d – and the winner is the dialectal 24a!
Thanks to, presumably, NYDK, or whomsoever if it is not he, and CS.
An early morning solve and submission before travelling into the wilds of Warwickshire for a family weekend. Now sneaking a few minutes to see how everyone else got on. I pondered over 2d and now hope I picked the right one.
A laugh over 24a – in a certain place I was asked twice by man holding a cigarette whether I had a light, I twice replied that I didn’t smoke. A man overheard the conversation and intervened to tell me that the man had asked me if I knew the time! I was never fluent.
Two COTD – 7d and 22d
Enjoyed today more than yesterday…many thanks to the setter and CS.
I loved it too. My last one in was a lurker, so I had to kick myself very hard for that. Thank you to the setter and to crypticsue
I thought this Saturday puzzle from NYDK, (as it seems like one of his), was a tad more difficult than I would have expected. But who am I to say?
Overall I enjoyed it but there were a few clues where the parsing eluded me.
I did like the multi-word answer though.
2.5*/3.5*
Favourites include 1a, 9a, 12/21a, 16a, 7d & 17a — with winner overall I pick 12/21a … with 17d the runner up.
Thanks to NYDK & CS for blog
A lovely puzzle which went in rapidly (for me) especially for a PP. Lots of humour throughout. 24a, 3d, & 7d my chuckle worthy favs.
Thanks setter – fab stuff. And to CS for blogging duties.
Really clever puzzle today with many PDM’s
Favourites 7d, 16a, 9a and 22d.
I can still remember when the little storage was a huge amount.
Thanks to NYDK and Sue.
I got stung by a wasp this morning, it was sitting on the side of the kettle of all places and I put my hand firmly round it. Of course, I am allergic and my hand has swollen grotesquely, a visit to the pharmacy to get Piraton but he thought it might interfere with my heart medication so I had to ring 111 to get clarification and it took them 4 hours to ring back. What a wasted day, but I do not want to go to A&E on a Saturday . Trying to do the guzzle in between times as a distraction from the pain. My mother and her sisters used to have a 13a, she often spoke of it. I thought 7d was hilarious and I also liked the wanderer. Many thanks to
Our Saturday Setter and Saturday Sue.
Not overly difficult but with enough head scratchers to make us think. Favourite was 12/21a. Thanks to, presumably, NYDK and CS.
A very enjoyable puzzle, which I managed to complete the same day and that always comes as a surprise to me. I thought that I wasn’t going to get there as I got stuck about half way through and couldn’t see any solutions for ages. It never ceases to amaze me that I can’t see the answer in the grid, but quite often when I write the checker letters that I have and the blanks on a piece of paper or blank space in an advert on the back page (as today), the answer jumps out at me. Is that only me, or does that happen to other people on this blog? I enjoy anagrams, but too many spoil the crossword for me. Today’s setter got the balance right in my view. Like others who have commented today and previously, I’m not keen on spoonerisms, as I usually don’t get them easily, but I saw today’s sooner (or should that be spooner? 😊) than I thought I would. My last to go in was the 21a linked part of the linked clue. My COTD is 1a, because when the penny dropped, I just could not believe it took me so long to see it. My thanks to CS for the review and explaining 9a, which falls into the category that you mentioned; I.e that I did not know that X means y. My thanks also to the setter for an enjoyable puzzle with very good head scratching clues.
On a separate note, I see from your introduction to your review CS that you are in East Kent. I am in North Kent. I was born in North Kent, which is why I call myself a Kentish Lad. For those who don’t know, if you are born South or West of the River Medway, you are a Man or Woman of Kent. If you are born North or East of the River Medway, you are a Kentish Man or Woman. I still feel like I’m a teenager, so I call myself a Kentish Lad. That is also the title of the late and great Frank Muir’s autobiography (I’m showing my age now!)
I enjoyed a much needed lie in this morning – once back to a one tee start for the 65 players who made the cut we split the field & I got the leaders out later today & will announce the earlier starters tomorrow. Anyway solved over a leisurely breakfast with a minimum of crumpet scratching. I can’t say the answer to 9a would have necessarily been one of the synonyms I’d have come up with for the definition but the wordplay was obvious & I can see it within a specific context.
Like others 7d was my pick of a good selection of clues – 12/21,16&29a plus 6,8,17&23d other particular likes.
Thanks to the setter & to the ever busy CS
Great stuff. 7D a classic, with 22D and 17D runners up. VMT to Setter & Sue.
I found this very hard. Do they get less prize entries when a Saturday is this hard I wonder… 🤔
Needed the hint for 3d which meant a dnf. Maybe a term for goodbye more common up north…?
A good brain workout today.
Thanks to all.
The diner eating his own is such a good clue, thank you Compiler and CS
I thought this was relatively gentle for a Saturday , and then I got stuck on the last two – the one dining .. at 7d and the consent from macron at 13a. Having been out for the evening I caved and looked at the hint for 7d , and of course …as always , so obvious I could hit myself. Then 13a fell into place and was then obvious too. All in all a great puzzle. Thanks to the setter and CS.
I really enjoyed this puzzle, which I tackled late due to a family bbq.
Favourites were the spoonerism at 17d (can you really have too many?), the misdirection at 27a, but cotd as for many others goes to the lonely diner at 7d.
Thanks to Cryptic Sue and the setter.
Didn’t start this until late yesterday, still struggling with Friday’s challenging offering. Only had about four clues on the first sweep but then a steady accumulation of answers. Finally left with a couple of clues, the old money, which fell when I recalled some advice I read some time ago on these pages, ‘if in doubt always…’ and the lone diner at 7d for which I needed CS’s assistance.
Favourites today were our European leaders and 7d itself, which raised a smile.
Thank you to the setter and to CS for the hints.
Thanks all, inc Sue-In-The-Dust. Same here in the Three Counties region. Solar radiation belting down on Celtic boy not good. I don’t tan, just go red, peel, and back to a slightly baggier neon white. Shucks.
Didn’t quite make it to comment on Saturday, as the thrill of going shopping in Milton Keynes eradicated every other sensation, as you can imagine. I put Roundabout by Yes on the car stereo, mainly for the purposes of irony. I won’t have been the first to do that methinks. We (me and the ex) returned triumphant with a pair of massive sunglasses and some Adidas Spezials. Good old Adolf Dassler, I say.
In 1953 a Kentish Man (Cranbrook) married a Maid of Kent (Shepherdswell). Treasonable probably. Maybe that’s why they moved to Hampshire.
Cheers
NYDK